THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER CHOSEN BY WATERSTONES AS ONE OF THEIR BEST HISTORY BOOKS OF
2024 ' Compulsive . . . A wonderful display of how modern archaeology can bring hidden
histories to life' Daily Telegraph ' Gripping . . . I found it hard to put down'
Evening Standard ‘Fascinating’ Guardian The history of the Middle Ages is typically the
story of the rich and powerful but archaeology represents another way of interrogating our
history. By using cutting-edge science to examine human remains and burials it is possible to
gain a new understanding of the past – one that is more intimate and inclusive than ever
before. The seven stories in Crypt are not comforting tales. We meet the patients at one of
the earliest hospitals in England and the victims of the St Brice’s Day Massacre. We see a
society struggling to make sense of disease disability and death as incurable epidemics sweep
through medieval Europe. We learn of a protracted battle between Church and State and come
face to face with the archers who went down with the Mary Rose. Beautifully written and
expertly researched by Professor Alice Roberts Crypt is packed with thrilling scientific
discoveries that challenge what we thought we knew about history. ' An addictive picture
of medieval Britain from a cutting edge perspective' Evening Standard
